Golisano Children’s Museum & Golisano Children’s Hospital Partnership

Published on January 29, 2026

NAPLES, Florida (January 29, 2026) – Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples (CMON) and Lee Health’s Golisano Children’s Hospital have announced an expanded partnership aimed at creating more accessible and sensory-friendly experiences for children and their families throughout Southwest Florida.

A key element of this partnership is the introduction of new Calm & Comfort kits available at CMON, designed to support children with autism and other physical, neurological, and sensory processing differences. The kits officially launched at the museum this week and are currently available upon request to any guest visiting CMON.

The Calm & Comfort kits include a variety of thoughtfully selected, sensory-friendly tools designed to help children self-regulate, manage sensory input, and feel calm and supported during their museum visit. Each item is intentionally geared toward one or more of the eight sensory systems and includes:

·      Texture timer

·      My feelings mirror

·      Tactile hex

·      Light fidget spinner

·      Soft oral wristlet

·      Therapy brush

·      Scented stickers

·      Pop tube

·      Resistance band

“This partnership allows us to better support the diverse sensory needs of the children and families we serve,” said Jonathan Foerster, Chief Executive Officer at CMON. “By offering these Calm & Comfort kits, we’re helping remove barriers and ensuring CMON is a welcoming place where all children can explore, learn, and play comfortably.”

“At Golisano Children’s Hospital, we are deeply committed to creating inclusive, supportive environments for children, within our hospital walls and across the places where children learn, play, and grow,” said Alyssa Kasiewicz, the VP and Chief Nurse & Operations Executive for Children’s Services at Lee Health. “Our sensory-friendly certifications and specialized programs reflect that commitment, and this expanded partnership with the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples allows us to extend those principles into the community. Together, we want families to feel welcomed, understood, and supported wherever in our spaces.”

Through this expanded partnership, CMON and Golisano Children’s Hospital continue to advance their shared mission of supporting children’s well-being, accessibility, and meaningful engagement in both healthcare environments and throughout the community.

About Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples

Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples is a nonprofit, brain-building powerhouse and Southwest Florida’s first museum dedicated to children and families learning through play. Through immersive, hands-on exhibit galleries, CMON invites visitors of all ages to explore, imagine, and discover together.

Guests can journey through the swamps of the Everglades, climb a towering banyan tree, or experiment with interactive water play. Children can become a weather forecaster, a farmer, a chef, a fisherman, or an artist; explore the cold of an igloo, the whoosh of the wind, the sound of the sea, and the effects of gravity. Throughout the day special activities encourage our guests to get involved, try something new and be energized.

In addition to exhibits, CMON offers a wide range of educational programs, classes, camps, and special events designed to support creativity, curiosity, and early learning. Later this year, CMON will open a new Early Learning Center, expanding the museum’s impact by providing high-quality early childhood education for young learners.

Connect with Us

Facebook: @childrensmuseumofnaples
Instagram: @childrensmuseumofnaples

For more information about Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, or to contribute, visit cmon.org or call 239-260-1604.